Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
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219 NOUS45 KBOU 120859 PNSBOU COZ030>051-122300- Public Information Statement National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO 259 AM MDT FRI APR 12 2024 ...Today in metro Denver weather history... 7-12 In 1959...snow falling over a 5-day period totaled 20 to 30 inches just east of the mountains...while over the plains blizzard conditions closed schools and blocked highways. The second big storm in two weeks dumped 16.4 inches of snowfall on Stapleton Airport with the most...11.6 inches... occurring on the 8th. East winds gusted to 37 mph on the 9th. Temperatures dipped into the single digits on the mornings of the 7th and 12th when 7 degrees were registered. The cold temperatures caused streets to glaze with ice...resulting in the death of a pedestrian who was struck by a car in Denver. Three people died from heart attacks while shoveling the heavy...wet snow. 9-12 In 1901...rain changed to snow and totaled 10.8 inches in downtown Denver over the 4 days. Northeast winds were sustained to 28 mph with gusts to 31 mph on the 11th. Temperatures hovered in the 30`s. 10-12 In 1997...a Pacific storm produced heavy snow on the 10th and the 11th in and near the foothills with 6 to 8 inches at Louisville and Turkey Creek Canyon...5 inches at Morrison... and only 3.5 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. Northeast winds gusted to 24 mph at Denver International Airport. The storm also brought unseasonably cold weather with 5 new temperature records equaled or broken. Record low temperatures of 8 and 6 occurred on the 11th and 12th. Record low maximum temperatures of 20...19...and 30 occurred on the 10th...11th... and 12th respectively. This was also only the second time on record that the temperature had failed to reach the freezing mark for 3 consecutive days in April. 10-14 In 1927...post-frontal rain on the 10th changed to snow on the 11th and continued through the 14th. Snowfall totaled 8.5 inches from precipitation of 1.28 inches. North winds were sustained to 26 mph with gusts to 29 mph on the 13th. 11-12 In 1876...heavy snow began during the late afternoon of the 11th and continued through the night. Light snow ended around mid-morning of the 12th. The amount of snow was not measured...but precipitation totaled 0.70 inch...which would be around 7 inches of estimated snowfall. Strong winds accompanied the heavy snowfall. In 1896...post-frontal light rain changed to light snow overnight...but totaled only a trace. Northeast winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts as high as 62 mph on the 12th. In 1991...a strong Pacific storm dumped heavy snow across metro Denver with amounts of 6 to 15 inches at lower elevations and up to almost 2 feet in the foothills west of Denver. Snowfall reports included: 21 inches at Idaho Springs...19 inches at Aspen Springs...15 inches in Arvada... 14 inches at Rollinsville...10 inches in Boulder...8 inches in Aurora...and 7.3 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 24 mph on the 11th. 11-13 In 2020...a cold northerly flow...associated with a strong upper level jet stream...combined with low level upslope to produce a period of moderate to heavy snowfall in and near the foothills. The heaviest snowfall focused over Boulder County where 19.3 inches was observed near Eldorado Springs...with 18 inches in northwest Boulder. Storm totals elsewhere included: 16.5 inches at the National Weather Service in southwest Boulder...15.5 inches near Genesee...14 inches near Louisville...13 inches...2 miles southwest of Golden and Westminster; 11.5 inches in Kittredge and Lyons...and 10 inches near Crescent Village...Erie...and Lafayette. At Denver International Airport...only 1.0 inch of snowfall was observed. 12 In 1906...north winds were sustained to 52 mph in the city. In 1916...post-frontal north winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 42 mph. Light rain also occurred. In 1964...strong gusty winds raked metro Denver. Wind gusts estimated to 60 mph or higher caused widespread damage to buildings and power lines. Blowing dust closed some roads. A wind gust to 46 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport. In 1967...microburst winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport. In 1982...wind gusts to 60 mph were reported in and near the foothills. Wind gusts to 44 mph were recorded at Stapleton International Airport. In 1987...snow fell over metro Denver...causing traffic tie-ups on the roads and at Stapleton International Airport where some flights were delayed for 90 minutes. I-25 south of Denver was closed for a time due to numerous traffic accidents. While only 4.2 inches of snow fell in Denver... foothills to the southwest received 6 to 12 inches of snow. North winds gusted to 33 mph at Stapleton International Airport where the maximum snow depth on the ground was only 2 inches due to melting. 12-13 In 1922...post-frontal rain changed to heavy snow...which totaled 7.0 inches in downtown Denver. This was the second snow in 3 days. North winds were sustained to 29 mph with gusts to 31 mph on the 12th. In 1993...heavy snow occurred in the foothills northwest of Denver with 21 inches recorded at the Eldora ski area. Only 1.9 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 32 mph on the 13th. Most of the precipitation from the storm fell as rain across the city with 0.62 inch of precipitation measured at Stapleton International Airport. 12-14 In 1933...heavy snowfall of 5.6 inches occurred in downtown Denver on the 12th and 13th behind a vigorous cold front... which presented an awe-inspiring spectacle as it approached the station during the late afternoon of the 12th. Brilliant white wind-torn cumulus clouds were sandwiched by a brownish- tan dust cloud at the surface and dark blue cumulus clouds above. The dust cloud storm rapidly enveloped the station with northeast winds sustained to 38 mph and gusts to 44 mph producing much blowing dust...which was accompanied by rapidly falling temperatures and rising pressure. Moist snowfall started in about an hour and continued to midday on the 13th. Record low temperatures of 17 and 15 degrees occurred on the 13th and 14th respectively. The high temperature of only 27 degrees on the 13th was a record low maximum for the date. 12-15 In 1927...snowfall totaled 8.5 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow fell on the 14th. Northwest winds were sustained to 27 mph during the storm. $$